Enhanced internal electrical generators

ABSTRACT

Enhanced internal electrical generators are provided which include pole pieces that form air gaps flanked with conductive wire coils. Rotatable armatures supporting permanent magnets are arranged to swing or revolve relative to the air gaps such that the magnetic flux thereof is intersected by the wire coils to generate electrical voltage and current therein. These generators may be incorporated within the housing of many portable devices such as cell phones to self generate electrical current useful for operating the device or recharging its batteries or other component that stores the generated electrical energy.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to armature type electrical generators which areuseful as internal power sources for self powered cell phones or otherbattery or capacitor powered products or devices. Installation of suchgenerators within the housing of such self powered devices avoids theneed for power from an electric outlet to perform operating orrecharging functions.

2. Disadvantages in Prior Practice

The present applicants are co-inventors of an invention described intheir earlier filed copending application Ser. No. ______, entitledARMATURE TYPE ELECTRICAL GENERATORS FOR SELF POWERED CELL PHONES, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Generally, thatapplication teaches an internal electrical generator having a pivotablearmature which supports one or more conductive wire coils. Such coilsare arranged to oscillate in reciprocal opposite directions, like apendulum, through the flux of permanent magnetic circuits and therebygenerate electrical voltage and current by the Faraday Effect.

The output of the wire coils is connected to leads that conduct thegenerated current to the input terminals of a battery or capacitor orother component that stores the electrical energy. Since the output endsemerge from coils that oscillate in sizable arcs with the pivotingarmature, the connectors have to be made of conductive material that canflex with and withstand such oscillations without breakage or otherfailure. Furthermore, in view of such connections, the armature cannotbe put into complete angular revolutions of 360 degrees because theconnectors would then twist about themselves and either jam the armatureor break apart, thereby disabling or destroying the function of currentgeneration. These limitations are obstacles which prevent designinginternal electrical generators that operate with optimum efficiency andcost effectiveness.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the above discussed drawbacks of theearlier described technology by applying a modification which exchangestwo of the operating components of the previous designs. In particular,in the present invention, conductive wire coils are affixed to polepieces of magnetic circuits and define air gaps that can be bridged bythe flux of permanent magnets supported on a pivotable, fully rotatablearmature. As the armature swings or rotates through the air gaps, theflux of the magnets supported on the armature intersects the wire coilsto generate electrical voltage and current in the coils. Since the coilsare not physically connected to, and do not move with, the armature,flexible connectors leading from the output ends of the coils to leadsthat conduct current to the input terminals of storage components areunnecessary. Furthermore, the magnets supported on the armature can beput into continuous rotation through the air gaps flanked by the wirecoils, thus enabling optimum generation of electrical energy therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details of the invention will be readily understood by referenceto the accompanying drawings and description, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of a rotatable armaturesupporting a permanent magnet disposed within an air gap which isflanked by wire coils within the pole piece of a magnetic circuit.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the magnet and armature included in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through the depth of the magneticcircuit taken along the plane 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view, similar to FIG. 1, which illustrates analternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, taken along theplane 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the ensuing description, the same or similar components in thevarious figures will be marked with the same reference numerals withoutrepetition of the initial detailed identification of each component.

Referring to FIG. 1, this side view of an internal generator includespole piece 10 having the shape of an inverted U. Within the spacebetween the legs of the U are two coils of conductive wire, supported onlayers 14 of nonconductive material. Preferably layer 14 is printedcircuit board material with the conductive coils etched and printed, inone or more layers, thereon. These layers 14 are affixed to the interiorsurfaces of the legs of pole piece 10, for example, by adhesive orsimilar means.

Within the air gap flanked by the wire coils 14 is one segment of anarmature 16, attached to a rotatable central shaft 18. Armature 16supports at least one permanent magnet 20. The ends of the wire coilsare connected to output terminals 22, 24 and 26, 28, respectively. Leadscan be connected to output terminals 22-28 to conduct current from theseterminals to input terminals of a battery, capacitor or other storagecomponent of a cell phone, or other product or device, particularlywhere the device is portable and designed to be carried and used invarious locations.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, there is no physicalconnection between the wire coils 12 and armature 16. Therefore, thearmature and its magnet 20 can be repeatedly and rapidly pivoted orcompletely rotated through the gap flanked by coils 12, whereby themagnetic flux in the gap will intersect the coils perpendicularly foroptimum generation of electrical voltage and current therein by theFaraday Effect.

This freedom of the armature to fully rotate also means that multipleembodiments of mechanical drive systems, disclosed in applicantspreviously cited application for oscillating the coil wrapped armaturesof that invention, are unnecessary in this invention. Instead, thearmature 16 herein can be fully revolved by a simple handle driven cranklinked to the shaft 18, or by a flywheel cranked up to free runningspeed by a hand driven clutch, as disclosed in the previous application.

Moreover, multiple magnets supported by multiple armatures linked to acentral hub and shaft 18, with corresponding multiple magnetic circuitspositioned to be successively traversed through their gaps by themagnets, can be installed in cell phones and other products to achieveextremely rapid self generation of electrical power within the housingof such products.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, these illustrate an alternative embodimentof the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, it includes a pole piece10 made of iron or other paramagnetic material, armature 16, rotatableshaft 18 and permanent magnet 20. Preferably, paramagnetic materials ofhigh relative permeability such as iron, nickel, cobalt or otherferromagnetic substances are used. A coil of insulated conductive wire30 is wrapped around the entire length of the inverted base of polepiece 10.

Inwardly disposed bosses 32, 34 may be formed at the top and bottom ofthe interior surfaces of the legs of pole piece 10, which serve toconcentrate the flux of magnet 20 and thus minimize flux leakage. Outputterminals 22, 24 are disposed at opposite ends of wire coil 30.

In this embodiment, like that of FIGS. 1-3, there is no physicalconnection between armature 16 and wire coil 30. Therefore, the armaturewith its magnet 20 can be continuously revolved through the gap flankedby the legs of pole piece 10. The resulting magnetic flux in the gap isconducted by the legs of the pole piece perpendicularly through the wirecoil 30 for efficient and optimum generation of electrical voltage andcurrent in the coil. Also, as in the first embodiment, multiplearmatures, magnets and pole pieces can be used for rapid and successiveintersections of flux and conductive wire coils, which will aid inmaximizing the self generation of electrical voltage and current,especially in portable devices like cell phones, including satellitephones, digital cameras, iPods, etc.

In the first embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, pole piece 10 can be made ofnon-magnetic material, for example, copper, since the wire coils 12 canbe constructed to very closely flank the opposite poles of magnet 20 inthe air gap between the pole piece legs. However, pole piece 10 can alsobe made of iron or other paramagnetic material to concentrate themagnetic flux within the air gap and minimize flux leakage.

In the second embodiment of FIGS. 4, 5, the pole piece 10 must be madeof paramagnetic material in order to conduct the magnetic flux of magnet20 perpendicularly through wire coil 30 wrapped around the inverted baseor any other portion of the pole piece.

The invention has been described in terms of its functional principlesand illustrative embodiments. Further details and preferences can bereviewed and applied in this invention from the applicant's previouslycited earlier filed application. Many variations or modifications in theillustrative embodiments herein will be obvious to those studied in theart. Accordingly, it should be understood that all such variations andmodifications are intended to be covered by the ensuing claims as wellas all equivalents thereof.

1. An enhanced internal electrical generator which comprises: a) atleast one armature supporting at least one permanent magnet; b) at leastone pole piece formed with an air gap which is flanked by at least onecoil of conductive wire; c) means for imparting relative motion betweenthe armature and the pole piece such that the permanent magnet passesthrough the air gap so that its magnetic flux is intersected by the wirecoil to generate electrical voltage and current therein; and d) meansfor transporting the generated current to a storage component, wherebysaid generator may be installed within the housing of a device toprovide capability of self-generation of electrical power therein.
 2. Anenhanced generator according to claim 1 wherein the armature has twoopposite ends, each supporting a permanent magnet which is movablethrough separate air gaps, each gap being flanked by at least one coilof conductive wire.
 3. An enhanced generator according to claim 2wherein each of the air gaps is flanked by a pair of coils of conductivewire located on opposite sides of the gap.
 4. An enhanced generatoraccording to claim 3 wherein the wire coils are etched and printed onprinted circuit board material, which is affixed to interior surfaces ofthe pole piece.
 5. An enhanced generator according to claim 4 whereinthe armature comprises nonmagnetic material.
 6. An enhanced generatoraccording to claim 4 wherein the pole piece comprises aluminum.
 7. Anenhanced generator according to claim 4 wherein the pole piece comprisesiron or other paramagnetic material.
 8. An enhanced generator accordingto claim 2 wherein the pole piece is shaped approximately as an invertedU, the inverted horizontal base of the U being wrapped with a coil ofconductive wire, and the pole piece comprising iron or otherparamagnetic material, whereby the magnetic flux in the air gap isconducted by the pole piece through the wire coil for intersection ofthe flux by the coil and generation of electrical voltage and currenttherein.
 9. An enhanced generator according to claim 2 wherein thearmature is fully revolvable through the air gaps.
 10. An enhancedgenerator according to claim 2 wherein the armature is continuouslyrevolvable through the air gaps.
 11. An enhanced generator according toclaim 2 disposed within the housing of a cell phone.
 12. An enhancedgenerator according to claim 2 disposed within the housing of a portabledevice which is operated by a battery, capacitor or other component thatstores electrical energy.
 13. A method of providing capability ofself-generation of electrical power to a device which comprises: a)disposing at least one armature supporting at least one permanent magnetwithin a housing of the device; b) disposing at least one pole piecewithin the housing formed with an air gap which is flanked by at leastone coil of conductive wire; c) imparting relative motion between thearmature and the pole piece such that the permanent magnet passesthrough the air gap so that its magnetic flux is intersected by the wirecoil to generate electrical voltage and current therein; and d)transporting the electrical current to a storage component includedwithin the housing.
 14. A method according to claim 13 which includesdisposing an armature supporting two permanent magnets at its oppositeends and imparting relative motion between the armature and the polepiece such that each magnet passes through an air gap flanked by atleast one coil of conductive wire.
 15. A method according to claim 13which includes disposing multiple armatures, multiple magnets andmultiple coils of conductive wire in the housing, and imparting completerevolutions to the armatures such that the magnets successfully passthrough air gaps to generate electrical voltage and current in multiplecoils of conductive wire flanking each air gap.
 16. A method accordingto claim 14 which includes disposing at least one pole piece comprisingiron or other paramagnetic material and shaped approximately as aninverted U in the housing, wrapping the inverted base of the U with acoil of conductive wire, and imparting relative motion between thearmature and the pole piece such that each magnet passes through an airgap flanked by the legs of the inverted U-shaped pole piece.
 17. Anenhanced generator according to claim 1 wherein the means for impartingrelative motion includes an armature having a weight such that itassumes a predetermined position when at rest and undisturbed in ahousing.
 18. An enhanced generator according to claim 1 wherein themeans for imparting relative motion includes means for applying a torqueto the armature from an external source.
 19. An enhanced generatoraccording to claim 18 wherein the external source is a crank.
 20. Anenhanced generator according to claim 19 wherein the crank is connectedto the armature via a flywheel.
 21. An enhanced generator according toclaim 20 wherein the crank is connected to the flywheel via a clutch.